Absorption cooler



April 23 1929. M. ALEX ABSORPTION COOLER Filed April 9, 1928 Patented Apr. 23, 1929.

UNITED STATES MAX ALEX, 0F BLOOMINGTON, ILLINOIS.

ABSORPTION COOLER.

Application filed April 9,

My invention relates to a water cooler of the absorption refrigerator type and has for its object the provision of a device of this character which embodies some of tl'f features outlined in my prior applications, Serial No. 138,902 and Serial No. 138,903,- both filed on October 1, 1926.

My present invention is designed to bring about more efficient refrigeration. One feature of my invention contemplates the provision of improved cooling facilities in the cooling chamber and elsewhere.

Another feature of my invention contemplates improved means for preventing the passage of water from the generating chamber to the cooling chamber.

Another feature of my invention contemplates improved means for periodically and automatically returning to the generating chamber such water as may yet pass from the generating chamber into the cooling chamber during the operation of the device.

I will explain my invention more in detail by referring to the accompanying drawing illustrating rather diagrammatically one embodiment thereof.

In this drawing Fig. 1 represents a rather diagrammatic illustration of a refrigerator constructed in accordance with my invention;

Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic view of the electrical circuit arrangements and connections;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view on line 33 of Fig. 1; and i Fig. 4: is a sectional view on Fig. 1.

In accordance with my invention, I provide a combined generating and absorbing tank which at the inception of the operation of the device is filled with a suitable mixture of ammonia gas and water so that the said tank is about threefourths full. This tank cooperates with a coolingtank 11. This tank 11 is mounted in any suitable form of box 12 provided with suitable insulation as is well understood.

line 44 of The generating tank 10 is'provided with a suitable electric heating coil 13 merely indicated diagrammatically and is also prov1d ed with a COOllllgCOll 14 arranged preferably in a zigzag manner as shown, this cooling coil having the inlet pipe 15 and the outlet pipe 16. A thermostat 17 is also provided in connection with this generating tank 10.

In accordance with my invention, I provide a water eliminator 18 which consists of the 1928. Serial No. 268,592.

hollow shell 19 having two walls 20 and 21 arranged therein. These walls divide the water eliminator into three compartments as will be apparent, that is,the central compartment and the two side compartments communicating one with the other through ducts 22 extending through the central chamber. The central chamber has a water inlet pipe 23 and a water outlet pipe 24 so that water may circulate through the central chamber and in a measure cool the gaseous evaporations from the generator 10 as they enter into the left hand side chamber or compartment of the eliminator 18 through the pipe 25. This pipe extends from the generator 10 to the said left hand compartment of the eliminator 18 as shown. The right hand side compartment of the eliminator 18 extends by means of two pipes 26 and 27 respectively, to the cooling tank 11 as will presently be explained.

A thermostat 28 is provided preferably in the refrigerating compartment 29, which thermostat is responsive to the temperature of the water within the compartment 29. The cooling tank 11 has the continuity of its interior broken by the refrigerating chamber 29 formed of the walls 30 and 31 so thatbut for certain passages presently to be described, this compartment 29 by value of its walls forms in the tank 11 two concentric'compartments, the compartment 32 and the compart-.

ment 33. These two compartments 32 and 33 are united by ducts 34 and-35 extending through the walls forming the compartment 29. i

The compartment 29 carries water which is to be cooled and which may be preferably for drinking purposes, and has an inlet pipe 36 and an outlet pipe 37 which may terminate in. a faucet 38.

.The refrigerant conducting pipes 26 and 27 which start from the eliminator 18 extend into the tank 11, the pipe 26 terminating near the bottom of the inner compartment 32 and the pipe 27 terminating near the bottom of the outer compartment 33. The compartment 29 is preferably so arranged that its walls are eccentric as shown.

From the eliminator 18, a pipe 39 extends to near the bottom of the tanklO, this pipe serving two purposes as will presently appear, one of these purposes being the return of water from the eliminator 18 back to the tank 10. A pipe 40 extends from the chamber 32 of'the tank 11 and connects with the pipe 39 at an intermediate point thereof, this pipe 40 serving to permit passage of the gaseous ammonia to be absorbed by the water in the tank 10.

I connect the pipe 40 to an intermediate portion of the pipe 39 in order to prevent water from flowing from the tank 10 into the tank 11. if pipe 40 extended to the bottom of the tank 10 without being connected to the pipe 39, such flow of water might take place because of the differences in pressure within the tanks 10 and 11 when the heater 13 is vaporizing the ammonia. This difference of pressure is brought about because the eliminator 18 reduces the temperature of the vapor in order to eliminate the water as will presently appear and this difference of pressure between the two tanks might thereupon be sufficient to expel water from the tank 10 into the tank 11.

A valve 41 serves to control the flow of Water from a water supply pipe 42 into the eliminator 18 and compartment 29 by reason 'of controlling the outlets from these parts toward the waste pipe 44, and a valve 43 serves to control the flow of water through the pipe 15. Both of these valves are subject to the control of the thermostats 17 and 28 respectively, as will be more readily apparent from the illustration of the circuit connections as shown in Fig. 2. Whenever the circuit to the controlling elements of the valves 41 and 43 is closed so that current passes therethrough, then these valves are open and Water is'permitted to pass, but when the electromagnetic controlled elements are not energized, these valves are closed.

The circuit diagram of Fig. 2, I believe, is readily intelligible moreover as it conforms to the operation as disclosed in my said copending application. The walls of the coinpartment 29 may be provided with longitudinai fins or vanes to emphasize and enhance .the cooling action of the Water passing through the compartment 29. A drain pipe.

44 is shown which. serves to drain ofi the cooling' water from the various compartments in which it is used.

In operation, let us assume that the tank 10 is filled to about three-fourths its capacity with ammonia gas absorbed by water, that is, a mixture of ammonia gas and water. The thermostat 28 which is so regulated as to maintain an open circuit when the chamber 29 is at its proper refrigerating temperature, closes circuit through its contacts which thereupon closes the circuit through the heater 13 and also closes circuit through the valve 41. The contents of the tank 10 are thus being heated and at the same time cooling water is flowing through the compartment 29 and the central compartment of the eliminator 18. The heatgenerated in the tank 10 vaporizes the ammoniaandalso to a slight extent some of the water. This vapor leaves the tank 10 through the pipe 25 and enters the left hand compartment of the eliminator 18. The vapor then passes through the ducts 22 where it is partially cooled and coiitinues on to the ri ht hand compartment of the eliminator 18.

The cooling of the vapor causes the water to condense and to flow through the pipe 39 back into'the tank 10. The ducts should, of course, be slightly inclined so that the water drains to the left. The vapor as it was originally generated in the tank 10 might have a temperature between the iimits of 130 and 190 F. The vapor then passes through the pipes 26 and 27 into the compartments 32 and respectively. The pressure in these compartments 32 and 33 of course will be somewhat less than the pressure within the tank 10 because of the condensing or cooling brought about by the water eliminating step within the eliminator 18. As the vapor enters the tank 11, it is condensed into liquid form due to the cooling action of the compartment 29 through which coolingfwater isnow. flowing. The heating within the tank 10 may continue until such a time as the temperature within the tank reaches 190 F. Thereupon the thermostat 17 which has been in the position shown in Fig. 2 reverses its position and closes circuit through its other two contacts, thereby breaking the circuit through the heater coil 13, and also through the valve 41 but at the same time closes the circuit through the valve 43. s

The cooling water now ceases to flow through the eliminator 18 and ceases to flow through the compartment 29. Cooling-water now flows through the pipe coils 14 to cool the remaining contents in the tank 10 which now to a large extent is water. Thereupon, the cooled water in the tank 10 begins to ab sorh the ammonia which has been condensed within the tank 11, and this ammonia passes upwardly through the pipe 40 to the bottom of the tank 10. The evaporation of the ammonia cools'the compartment 29. This return of the ammonia to the tank 10 continues untilsuch time as the temoeraturewithin the compartment 29 is at the proper value. whereupon the thermostat 28 reverses itself from, the position shown in Fig. 2 and thus opens the circuit through the valve 43 so that no cooling water flows any longer through the compartment 29 except as it may be used for drinking purposes through the outlet pipe 37. Thus the valves 41 and 43 are closed and the circuit through the heater 13 is broken. Then as the temperature in the tank 10 decreases, the thermostat 17 reverses itself into the position shown in Fig. 2 and keeps the parts in the position to perform their functions again in the same rotation as heretofore explained, which cycle of operations is again started when the thermostat 28. the circuit of which is now open, reverses its position-into the position shown in Fig. 2., In the operation of the device. some water always passes in some way or other from the tank 10 to the tank 11. It is essential that this water he perimtieally returned to the tank 10. This is brought about by the pipe Let, it he assumed that the fluid in the tank ll when liiguelied should have an t1pper -furl'aeo which is slightly helow the month of tho duet; 34' and thus slightly below the mouth ot' the pipe 40. Now the addition of water to this supply would gradually raise this level. As soon as the level has been raised sutiiriently to rlose the lovver mouth of the duet I34 and the mouth 45. then the pressure in the tank l] hegins automatieally to rise as there would he no passail'e ol any ol the eontents ot the tank 1] ihrougy'h the pipe it) to the tank 10. The water being; h avier than the ammonia. of eourse. settles at the liottout o," the eonur-ariinent E3 at the loner mouth of the pipe or tulle 2?. As the pres-u1re within the tank it rises, this pressure will he suttirient shortly to tori-e the water through the pipe 27 into the eliminator 18 from lltllil, it ean drain through the pipe 39 into the tank ll) until sueh time as the maximum upper level of the liquid in the tank ll is helor; the mouth 45. Such restoration oi" the water to the tank It) orenrs wriodirally as oreasion requires.

it will thus he seen that drinkin; water, tor iustauee. ma v he eontinuallv supplied to the hanlher 29$) 'l'roni \vhenre, ltIlH1 Vl withdrawn tor drinking! purposes throngz h the, pipe 237. This ehaniher 2%; serves therefore. the dual purpose of a 'rrtrigerafino' ehamher tor the water \vhirh to he eonsinned and serves also as the eoolingz element to eondense the retrigryerantin the tank ll.

Flfllll what has heen thus deserihed, the nature ol' my invention Will he elenr as will also he apparent that man moditi ations may he made within the appended elaims without departing from the spirit.

llaring however. thus des rihed one of its forms: Wllflt I elaiin as new and d sire to seeuro hv Letters Patent, is:

l. Refrigerating :igaiaratns ol' the eharaeler deserihed eoin u'ising a eon hined g n rat ion nd alisor i ion ehruuher, a re rating tank, means ll1{(t'l(Eli V ot said t. tor eoni lneting a Pooling)? tluid therethroug'h \aherehv to eool th eontents of said tank, said Pooling: i'uoans dividing said tank int two eon1 artments and saii'l m ans ((Hutltllllllfl a eooliuo' ehanil er tor lluid and lmvin independent means for iviilulrarviugg sai lluid Ptllltltilt'flll) tor use an? par 'en'aysthrough said means \vherehy to eslalilish eonununiem tiou het'iveen said. (tonipartnients.

2. Ret'ri g'eratingappatntus of the elnu aeter des-z-rihed eomprising' a roiuhined generation and absorption ehanihei: a retriiierating tanki means inlerim-ly of said tank tor eondueting :1 rooting fluid therethrough whereby to cool the eontents of said tank said eooling means dividing said tank into two compartments, one surrounding the other, and said means eoostituting a cooling chamber for fluid and inning: independent means tor \Vltlltll i\\'lii; fMilli thud periodi tally for use, and p: asuggerva'x's through said means wherehy to e ihliah eoniiuunir-ation between said roniglartiuen 3. rl'ielrigeraliug apparatus of the (haraeter d serihed ('r inprisin g' a eoinhined generation and alsorp-lion rhainiie a retriaerating tank. in: i irterlorly of said tank iiu" thereihrougrh yl oroli v to emit tle ront 0i snltl tank, mtltl mailing moms d viding; said tank into two is eoustituting a and izivingg' ini t in; tor \ri idrarviug said lluid gleriinln'z i use HX-':%7IQ'U\HI"4 through laid means \vlierehv 2o e tahiish eoinniunieaid nilnirtinents and a relie said means to perini oi upon res ation ot the wase ilie/ethrou 'ii e 5 timid.

Ret'rigerat; apparatu oi" the (ilfl'l'- eier deserihed eonniri ing a eoinhined glenerator and ll1$ t)i'lJ-1 a roniliined eouilenser and e aporator. a water eliminator interposed hetween said too ilwiees, a dr: n tuhe leading; from said eiinlintor into aid gel eratoralworlieig and a eu'ay leading from said eonileir s-evaporalor to an intermediate point o: said tnhe tor the purpo e of eondueling the i "rigs-rant to ahsorlied 'l'roui mid eondenser-eva an'ater in said eneratw-ah '(ll'i)t i' '1itt((FIN OIIHPE'LlHl ova at'or serving at the same time as a ivater eooler.

5. Rei'rigeralingr apparatus ot the eharaeter deserihed eonip ising a ronihiued genwant me:

ion l etn'een 1 (l men-ovaporator t n ar the l otton'i of said Qt llti'tlii i -ililt tii lt l' to permit ot' the ahsorntion ot rel'ri int h t he water within said genm'ator-nt 3 o'en'ay tor eonilurlimgf gene vapor 'l ttill'l said grenerator-aiissiroer to said 0on1len o a xapora tor, means in said 5: 'l i ;:;rr\\'a tor deerea i it ie tern rrature of said vapor in its travel hrouy'h s: ageuaxg means tor prevent to the {low er from said :;eneratl ahsorlier throng-i said first, aforesaid or; gg 'o'a f to said eonle:zser-evanorator, said last :il o esa rl means eoinin" t t PXtlW 5K m said i-leeond aforesaid passageway to said tempera ure ile reasingy means, and means n'h :ehv said (({nl(!ii- (l' evaporator serves as a Wat e oler adziptei to have water prrieliraiiy \x'; trout.

in n'itne i l my name this M lth di,

i a tore I Ht! awn there- 

